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Clover Stornetta First Large Scale Processor in California to Go Non-GMO

This week Clover Stornetta Farms announced it will be converting all of its conventional milk products to Non-GMO Project Verified over the next two years. “Clover will also be one of the first Non-GMO Project Verified conventional milk products produced in California on a large scale,” they said in a press release.

“Our focus on Non-GMO reaffirms our commitment to invest in the future of our dairy cows, family farms, and communities. Our hope is to lead the way by creating an industry-wide movement towards more Non-GMO feed options for our dairy cows. We look forward to working closely with our dairy partners to make this goal a reality,” said Marcus Benedetti president and CEO of Clover Stornetta.

Earlier this year Congress determined all milk from cows would be exempt from GMO labeling despite what the animal is fed. That does not keep processors from participating in labeling programs like the Non-GMO Verified Project. Clover says the public demand for GMO free foods continues to grow. “The total global market for Non-GMO products is predicted to almost double between 2014 and 2019 due to a compound annual growth rate of 15 percent (Packaged Facts forecasts, 2015),” they said. “In fact, according to Consumer Reports, 72 percent of Americans say that it is important to avoid GMOs when they shop; and consumers have been looking for a Non-GMO conventional milk alternative.”

It has taken Clover leaders more than a year to determine how to sustainably offer Non-GMO conventional milk. They must have found a solution because they plan for their first Non-GMO Project Verified conventional products to be in grocery stores the first quarter of 2017.

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The mission of Farm Journal's MILK is to connect with large-dairy producers—those with 500 or more cows—and provide them with the information and resources they need to run their operation and continue to expand opportunistically.